Congress votes to strip pensions from members convicted of crimes
H.R. 8427 — Congressional Pension Integrity Act of 2026 · Filed by Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) · 5 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 21, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill strips congressional pensions from members convicted of serious crimes—including rape, sexual assault, bribery, election fraud, embezzlement, and obstruction of justice—or found by their chamber to have engaged in sexual misconduct with subordinates. The ban applies retroactively to past convictions and takes effect when the next Congress begins.
Why we flagged it
The bill directly addresses pension forfeiture for members convicted of serious crimes or found to have engaged in sexual misconduct, establishing a clear accountability mechanism tied to criminal conviction or internal chamber determination.
What the text implies
- The bill applies retroactively to past convictions, potentially affecting current or former members already receiving pensions—this may trigger legal challenges on due-process or ex post facto grounds.
- The 'sexual conduct with subordinates' provision relies on internal chamber determination rather than criminal conviction, creating a lower evidentiary bar and potential for political weaponization.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Ordinary citizens benefit from a clear rule that members convicted of serious crimes or found to have sexually abused subordinates lose their taxpayer-funded pensions. This reduces the public cost of rewarding criminal conduct and reinforces accountability for elected officials.